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In Sweden the word poodle is used in two ways. One way is the dog , the other is linked to when you have to give up an earlier strong position. In public. The expression came from a press conference in 2002 with a minister that had the bravery , or at least strategical insight , to realise that the only way out was to recant and act humble. It was described by a journalist as a ” full poodle , all four paws in the air , asking for forgiveness” . The expression ( ” att göra en pudel ” ) stuck.

In Britain today the National Health Service is in the very slow, discreet process of making a poodle re their guidelines on fluid intake & prevention of altitude sickness.

2008

“Minimum 4-6 liters per day”

This was the NHS standard recommendation from the turn of the millenium – for any altitude , any activity . One group that would be puzzled by this advice was historically aware climbers , familiar with the new concepts that took Hillary & Tenzing to the top of Mt Everest : the fluid rations were around three liters per day.

Another group were those who had attended the altitude health lecture run by in Pheriche ( alt. 4200-ish ) on the Everest trek , by by the docs from Himalayan Rescue Association. Then and now they talked about avoiding both de- and overhydration , and a base recommendation of around three liters of fluids per day.

Now who could argue with that ? The Scots , as in the Scottish NHS Fit for Travel site , sought a new quarrrel with the sassenach and allied with Himalayan Rescue Association etc : maintain a good intake , and avoid an excessive one.

The stakes involved , and the reason why for example the Himalayan Rescue Association and the Institute for Altitude Medicine warns against talking about fluid intake with no upper limit , is best described by one of the proponents of a high fluid intake.

Thursday , August 18th : yet another ambulance arrives at SMHS , Srinagars main hospital. Last in line to the emergency room is the ambulance driver , who has managed to complete the run with shotgun wounds in his hand from a roadblock. The frustration of the docs in Srinagar has now reached the point where they have started to leak X-ray pics to the press , pics that are gruesome enough to make laymen pause.

The theory behind CPRFs armament and strategy is that their pellet shotguns are non-lethal when aimed below the knees. In actual practice they have had a devastating effect all too often from the abdomen and up , shown on a near daily basis on the front page pictures since July 8th. Punctured lungs , abdominal bleedings and , the icon of 2016 : the permanently blinded. Last estimate was 400+ with severe eye injuries to one or both eyes.

Little reason to believe in any immediate changes for the better , with announced plans for continued strikes and protest marches over the weekend.

The tourist perspective checklist :

* flights to Srinagar : airlines offered full refunds for tickets at least up to the 16th.

Border Roads have now cleared the Zoji La pass , and expect to throw the road officially open ” within a few days “. Congrats to all in Leh on the upcoming feast of first fresh veggies etc . since December.

End of my 2015 tour in Kham , driving past worlds third highest airport serving Kangding @ 4280 meters . Looks like a interesting landing , with the four thousand meter long runway ending as a ramp . Think cutting of the top of a cone , and flipping it to extend the flat surface.

Kangding town is forty klicks away and seventeen hundred meters lower : flat real estate is scarce in these parts.

Landing at 4411 meters … an instant aging experience. Well , I got younger again down in Daocheng at 3750 meters. But not fast . There is a better way of doing this : a long flight to Kunming , where the airport is at 2100-ish meter, and then a connecting flight to Daocheng/Yading . Doesn’t run in the winter though.

( There are now four airports at 4000+ meters : La Paz , widely believed to be the worlds highest is the lowest one at 4061 meters. )